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Topic: 38 Crombey Street, Swindon (Read 644 times)

I have completely failed to find this in the 1911 census. District 28 starts at 41 Crombey Street. No lower numbers appear in that district. Can anyone help. Thanks. Toby.

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Yes. So it was the spelling of the street which threw me. Next time in Swindon, i must see how it is spelled at the other end. No doubt people who live there now argue heatedly about which is correct. Just like Westlecot Road or Westlecott Road. Thanks for all the help. T

Looking on Google Streetview it's currently Crombey Street at both ends.

Looking at old OS maps it was Cromby Street up to and in the 1942 1:2500 scale maps then Crombey Street 1957 to 1958 1:1250 scale map onwards. Perhaps there was some confusion as to how to pronounce the name and adding the 'e' confirmed the ending as 'bee'?

Thanks for your comment.That is quite a possibility artifis. I am cautious however about OS spellings. Not infallible. The 1885 OS 1 : 500 spells it "Sandford Street" , Swindon. The brickwork on the school, which predates this map, pronounces "Sanford Street School". The spelling was corrected in 1899. We also know, from occasional letters in newspapers, that Corporations too are quite capable of making incorrect signs. There is a book on Street Names of Swindon. I wonder what it says on this subject. Must look next time in Swindon. T

You're right about the OS spelling 'mistakes' Toby, I have a book on the history of the OS and that has a section specifically relating to spelling errors and their continuation. Quite often the surveyors came from a different area to that which they were surveying and the misunderstanding of local dialect played a part plus, in rural areas where the local population frequently mistrusted the surveyors and their 'motives', they were deliberately given the wrong name or spelling. Large scale maps were an expensive commodity and only the wealthy or local authorities could afford them and they often had no interest in reporting errors unless they directly impinged on them; the cost of correcting errors on the printing plates wasn't insignificant so the OS avoided it as mush as possible. In the next edition survey the surveyors frequently didn't have access to reports of errors and the locals didn't enlighten them hence the continuation or the error. The locals attitude frequently was that they all knew where they were and what places were called after all, they didn't need a map to tell them.

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